Trapped deer finds way to freedom

An adult deer trapped overnight in a Clovis wrecking yard escaped Wednesday afternoon while the city’s animal control officer was brainstorming about how to safely remove the animal.

The approximately 100-pound doe traversed the city and was last spotted near the BNSF Railway yard, according to Clovis Animal Control Officer Dennis Weist.

Animal control was called around noon Wednesday to the West Seventh Street yard, but were unsure what to do.

“We don’t know if we should let her out and hope she goes home or have the game warden come and tranquilize her and take her home,” Weist said while observing the deer in the yard.

Weist said deer rarely make their way into the city and can be dangerous if approached.

“They aren’t going to let you go near them,” Weist said. “But if you did, just like any other animal, it could go up on its hind legs and kick you and do a lot of damage.”

Turning to game officials for advice, Weist said it was suggested that animal control officers rope the animal and cover it with a blanket in an effort to calm it down and allow it to be transported.

“I wasn’t trained in that,” Weist said. “I just wanted to get it out of the yard and back to its environment without causing any harm to it or anyone else.”

Rick Maxey, owner of Wholesale Wrecking, said he saw the deer in their yard about 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

“We thought she’d leave,” Maxey said. “When she was still here this morning, we called (animal control).”

Weist said when the deer escaped the yard around 12:45 p.m., he attempted to follow it to ensure its safe passage back into the county. As he patrolled the area, Weist came across five people who observed the deer’s journey east.

The trail ended near the BNSF Railway.

“Hopefully it crossed the tracks and went back out into the county,” Weist said.